Bolton junior doctor strikes see hundreds of appointments rescheduled

NHS England figures show 790 appointments at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust were rescheduled as a result of the strikes – of them, 83 were inpatient procedures, while 707 were outpatient.

Nationally, there were 20,470 inpatient and 175,755 outpatient appointments, making a total of 196,225.

And across England, nearly 200,000 hospital appointments and procedures had to be rescheduled due to a 96-hour strike from April 11 to 15 in a dispute over pay.

Rae Wheatcroft, chief operating officer at Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We’re sorry we had to reschedule treatment for patients because of the disruption caused by recent industrial action.

• Also read: Bolton junior doctors on picket lines for strike

“Our priority during the strikes was to provide emergency services, alongside care and ongoing support for our inpatients, building on our plans from other recent industrial action.

“This meant that some treatments needed to be rescheduled in order to help us continue to keep our sickest patients safe.

“We made sure that all patients were contacted beforehand to reduce the impact on them as much as possible.”

Junior doctors on the picket lines at Royal Bolton Hospital (Image: NQ)

NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said the figures "lay bare the colossal impact of industrial action on planned care in the NHS".

The British Medical Association has demanded a 35 per cent pay rise, which Health Secretary Steve Barclay labelled "unrealistic".

Dr Vivek Trivedi and Dr Robert Laurenson, of the British Medical Association’s junior doctors committee, said: "Junior doctors know all too well the frustration of patients waiting too long for care, and with a waiting list of 7.2m in England, we are facing difficult conversations with them every single day.

"These millions of patients are not in this position because of strikes though.

“Persistent under-resourcing of the health service and under-valuing staff – exacerbated by a pandemic – mean we simply don’t have the workforce and capacity to provide the high-quality and timely care that patients need and deserve.

• Also read: Royal Bolton Hospital junior doctors speak about strike

"This is why we have been led to strike, and while we are of course sorry to anyone who had their care disrupted, this is the same apology we’re already having to give to patients on a daily basis because the NHS cannot cope.”

Health Secretary Steve Barclay said: "It’s deeply disappointing that hundreds of thousands of appointments and procedures had to be cancelled last week as a result of some junior doctors taking strike action.

“This walkout clearly had an impact on many patients as well as hampering our efforts to cut NHS waiting lists.

"We remain ready to start formal talks with the BMA as soon as the union pauses its strikes and moves significantly from its unrealistic position of demanding a 35 per cent pay increase – which would result in some junior doctors receiving a pay rise of £20,000.

"Thank you to all the staff who have worked tirelessly to cover for striking junior doctors during this period."

NHS national medical director Professor Sir Stephen Powis said: "Today’s figures lay bare the colossal impact of industrial action on planned care in the NHS.

"While our staff are doing all they possibly can to manage the disruption, it is becoming increasingly difficult and the impact on patients and staff will unfortunately continue to worsen."